Thirteen places I want to see before I die

I am not as regular about my Thursday Thirteen lists as some of the other writers I see but every once in a while I join in on the fun. I don't think it's any secret I have a travel bug. I like to experience new cities and see the world.

This is my list of places I want to see before I die.

• I want to search for the Loch Ness monster and see Scotland. If my husband catches me looking under a kilt, that is my excuse. I was looking for Nessie...not to verify if men really wear anything under there. 
• Watching the Olympic games wouldn't be the same if I got to see London, England for myself. They have been our political allies and adversary for years but I could listen to a man speak for hours if he has an English accent.
• I would love to see the statue of Liberty and walk through Central Park in New York City.
• My great grandmother got to see the pyramids of Egypt and I would love to follow in her footsteps and look out over the Nile river. Yeah, I still miss my grandma. 
• I have one city on my list which is there for my kids as well as myself. Orlando, Florida is full of theme parks and amusement parks. We've been to Disney Land in California but never Disney World. So one day we hope to go with the kids. 
• I used to love watching the Crocodile Hunter and his family on Animal Planet. I was devastated when he died and would love to go see the zoo his family started in Australia along with the Great Barrier Reef.
• Anything that can be seen from space and is manmade just leaves me with a Wow factor. I want to see parts of China. The Great Wall is included in this. 
• I want to visit Thailiand with my aunt and meet her family she left behind to marry my uncle.
• Someday I want to go visit Timbuktu just to say I've been there.
• San Antonio, Texas is going to be the home of The Romance Conference 2013 so naturally I want to go. It's also a great excuse to see a man in a cowboy hat. I hope if I can attend I can leave more time to sightsee this time.
• I have a huge amount of German blood and history. Some of my cousins are still living in Germany. I never met them, but the wall is down now and I could meet them if I ever traveled to East Germany.
• I am extremely fortunate in that I lived near Edwards Air Force base in California and actually got to see the Space Shuttle land. History was made and I could see it as it happened. However, I've never seen a launch. Which would be spectacular in Cape Canaveral, Florida. 
• I actually got to check one city off my list this summer. I have always wanted to go see New Orleans. Forget Mardi Gras, this city is rich in culture and history. I fell in love with it during my short visit. The architecture in the French quarter is beautiful and painted with such eye catching colors you are absorbed into every detail. It didn't matter where we ate the food was always good and the people were amazing.

I am extremely lucky to be this well traveled and be able to use some of these places as a setting in my books. French Kiss was set in Paris, along with Paris Bites my current work in progress. My next book will be set in New Orleans. I collect travel guides like other people collect stamps.

It seems like every time I can check something off, another thing or place replaces it. I've seen a lot in my short life. I've been to the Alps in Switzerland, bought chocolate and lace in Belgium, and looked out over in awe at the Grand Canyon. I've seen Mount Rushmore and wondered what there was to see when we drove through endless cornfields in Iowa, but in the end it's not the places so much as the memories we build with the people we are with.

Other authors participating in the Thursday Thirteen links.

Lady Janice's Thirteen Random Photos Around Her House
Maddy Barone
Jennifer Leeland
Paige Tyler

If you want to participate in this Thursday Thirteen blogs, feel free to share your links to your blog in the comment section below.